Both natural estrogens and synthetic compounds that mimic estrogen can reach the aquatic environment through wastewater discharges. Because nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPE), 17βestradiol (E2), and ethynylestradiol (EE2) have previously been found to be estrogenic and to occur in wastewater effluents, they were the primary analytes for which the method was developed. Water samples were extracted in situ using solid-phase extraction disks. Analytes were separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography and detected by fluorescence or competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA). Method detection limits (MDLs) using HPLC with fluorescence detection were 11, 2, and 52 ng/L of water for NP, OP, and NPE, respectively. The RIA MDLs for E2 and EE2 were 107 and 53 pg/L, respectively. Samples were collected from four municipal wastewater treatment plants in south central Michigan, eight locations on the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, MI, and five locations in Lake Mead, NV. Concentrations of NP and OP ranged from less than the MDL to 37 and 0.7 µg/L, respectively. NPE concentrations ranged from less than the MDL to 332 µg/L. Concentrations of E2 and EE2 ranged from less than the MDLs to 3.7 and 0.8 ng/L, respectively.

Nonylphenol (NP) and its lower ethoxylates, nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NPE1) and nonylphenol diethoxylate (NPE2), can be present in aquatic environments at total concentrations of more than 10 microg/L. They are metabolites of nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPE) and have been found to be weakly estrogenic. To evaluate bioaccumulation potential and identify potential risks posed by these chemicals, concentrations of NP, NPE1, NPE2, and nonylphenol triethoxylate (NPE3) were determined in the tissues of fish inhabiting various waters in Michigan. This method involves extraction of samples using exhaustive steam distillation with concurrent liquid extraction. Concentrations of NP among all sites and species ranged from <3.3 to 29.1 ng/g, ww and varied little among sites. NPE1 was detectable in some samples but at concentrations less than the method detection limit (16.8 ng/g). Concentrations of NPE2 and NPE3 in all samples were less than their respective MDLs of 18.2 and 20.6 ng/g.

Abstract.A survey measuring concentrations of nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPEs) in fish was performed in the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, USA, in 1999. Of 183 fish analyzed, 59% had no detectable NP or NPE. Detected concentrations were reported to range from 3.3 (limit of detection) to 29.1 ng NP/g wet weight. To further explore the means of exposure of NP and NPE in the fish, concentrations of NP and its mono-through tri-ethoxylates (NPE 1-3 ) were measured in fish, sediment, and water collected near two wastewater treatment plants on the Kalamazoo River in 2000. Samples were analyzed using exhaustive steam distillation with concurrent liquid extraction. Nonylphenol ethoxycarboxylates (NPE 1-3 C) were also analyzed in water. Concentrations of NP and NPEs in fish were less than the method detection limits (MDLs) in all the samples except one fish, which contained 3.4 ng NP/g wet weight, just above the detection limit of 3.3 ng/g. Three of 36 sediments and 1 of 24 water samples contained detectable concentrations of NP or NPE 1 . NPE 2 , NPE 3 , and NPEC were not detected in water samples.

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